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| Aunt Sarah, Mary, and Kitty on board the Persephone |
Good day, my lovelies. I am very much alive, AND I am writing. Such joy. This past year, spent in a brain fog, caused by my illness, has lifted, and words are flowing. To that end, I hope to have one story finished by year's end - barring any unforeseen delays - and then I shall work on the second languishing WIP. Also, Mr. Harry Frost is scheduled to begin narrating one of my books at the end of October, and I might have snagged another free space with him for December. He has not, as of the writing of this post, replied with more details about a second booking. Fingers crossed he can fit me in. :)
Now: Having said all that, a delicious plot bunny just bounced inside my head, and I have never done this before, but I thought I'd put it out to you, and see what kind of ideas you would like to read about. If they are something I could get my imagination around, I may use them. So... are you ready for a point form preview? Good. Here goes.
- Aunt Sarah (sister to Mr. Bennet)
- wealthy / widowed / no children
- In the summer of 1810, she takes Mary (17) and Kitty (16) with her on a year-long trip to Italy, Greece, and the surrounding countries in the Mediterranean. Including travel time, they will all be gone from England for nearly 1.5 years, returning around Christmas of 1811, enjoying the company of the Gardiners when all of them are at Longbourn
- Aunt Sarah takes them because she has noticed they are the most ignored sisters of the family
- Mary is very touched by the beauty and history of the early church - she abandons Fordyce with abandon. Kitty's artistic soul is discovered and is allowed to learn with a few master painters while in... let's say, Florence. Maybe Venice.
- Aunt Sarah has always told her brother that she is dowrying his daughters with two thousand pounds each, but has never mentioned her estate. Jane is the logical choice as heir, as she is the eldest. Thoughts?
How does this affect those who remain behind?
- Because of the disparity in ages between Lydia and Jane (7 years), and Elizabeth (5 years), Mr. Bennet decides she will not come out at 15. With more funds available because 1: he is spending less on women's dresses and fripperies, and 2: food costs are down, he uses the extra funds to hire a governess for Lydia.
HUGE CHANGE!
I see a new path forged when the Netherfield party descends upon Meryton. How will that play out with our intrepid heroine and the dour gentleman from Derbyshire? What about Jane? Aunt Sarah returns AFTER Mr. Bingley has abandoned her (Mrs. Bennet cannot help herself; she remains crude and vulgar), so there is not even a hint of her future felicity as an estate owner. Any die-hard fans out there who MUST see her and Bingley joined forever? And, finally, what effect will Wickham have? None, or significant, as he has a nose for heiresses, and might have sniffed out a future one? The dastard!
I cannot wait to hear your ideas and comments!
Ohhhh I’m excited to see good things for the sisters most writers seem to ignore or gloss over. Wicked Wickham needs serious punishment. Who would Jane end up with? Col Fitswilliam??
ReplyDeleteI have no idea who Jane will end up with. Col F. is a good choice, but could we find another wealthy tradesman for her... or, do we have any handsome young peers loitering in the verdant hills of Hertfordshire? So many paths to take. That's what makes writing fun!
DeleteThank you so much for visiting my little blog.
I like the idea. Usually, it is Elizabeth who is the beneficiary of any largesse from a well to do relative. So, Mary and Kitty come back changed and there may be some changes on the home front due to a governess? However, Mrs Bennet remains the same. I assume Elizabeth also remains the same? Two thousand pounds is not enough for the girls to live independently on the interest - I assume from other books; but, one of them will inherit an estate. Interesting. I would imagine the Aunt would encourage Jane to forget Bingley; and no, I don’t have to have Jane with Bingley. I only think she is a good fit for Colonel Fitzwilliam if he is having problems with PTSD. She is too placid for him otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI would think the plot would spin out from how things are changed at home. Mary won’t want to go back to the shadows, Kitty won’t want to continue to be Lydia’s slave/punching bag. They both will probably view Elizabeth differently. At this point, in canon, she is enamored with her brilliance and ability to define others. That would make for some interesting tension if Mary and Kitty call her out on her willful blindness. Same is true for Mr Bennet. Not sure how Wickham’s or Caroline Bingley would play out in this scenario.
All in all, I think it is a great idea.
Oh! Your comments are delicious. I love the idea of Elizabeth still enamoured with her own insight and the two sisters calling her out on them. Make the whole Meryton Assembly that much more to anticipate with hands gleefully clasping and unclasping with excitement. Thank you for your insight. This plot bunny continues to grow. :)
ReplyDeleteI would like to see that Elizabeth gets her awakening not from her sisters but from the governess that has come to 'contol' Lydia and in the mean time Jane finds her backbone. Let the Aunt make the changes in Mary and Kitty, they deserve the attention but let changes happen back at Longbourn. Let Mrs Bennet stay as she is because that is just who she is. If Jane does not have any type of backbone she does not deserve to gifted and estate, how would she run it; same idea about her married anyone with a title, how would she be able to handle the duties without some backbone. I understand that being the eldest was huge thing in this time period but Elizabeth is not the only Bennet left at home that needs adjustment. I just think it would be interesting to see change happening to the family in two different place, influnced by two totally different people and neither being their parent.
ReplyDelete